A DAY OUT . . AND A WARNING

SWMBO and I went for a rare outing yesterday.

She was starting to get that look on her face that was beautifully described by Raymond Chandler in his detective story "Red Wind" writing about California's Santa Ana wind season: 

"Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks."

Well, maybe she wasn't to that point but she was getting testy and anxious to see some of the world other than that inside the four walls of our home.

So we headed out with a picnic lunch in a cooler, looking for cooler temperatures.

The BRD had suggested Goldwater Lake, south of Prescott, so I drove there.

The tiny park was fairly crowded and, even at close to 6,000 feet, the temperature was in the low 90's on a sunny day.

We sat in the air condtioned car watching kayakers and ducks on the lake, then left and headed further south and higher.

Beautiful scenery of towering pine trees in Groom Creek and the summer camps areas but when the highway lost it's pavement I turned around and headed back.

Still hot as we passed an elevation sign that put us at over 6,100 feet.

We saw a young deer muching his lunch right beside the road.

He didn't flinch as we came by, just gazed at us and kept chewing.

We came back down from the heights and found a parking place on the famed Courthouse Square in central Prescott and people-watched as we ate our picnic lunch in the car.

Finally back home again.

We agreed that it had been a good day, lightening the dark moods caused by months of self-isolation, face masks and social distancing.

But here's the thing: even though I had my smartphone with camera I never thought to take a single picture.

Am I an idiot or not?

So, I was grateful for the contribution from the Cheerful Monk (you can find her blog listed to the right).

Here's one of what she sent and don't say I didn't warn you.

Happy trails!